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kathleencoughlin's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
I feel like this was risky given the success that Madeline Miller has with the greek mythology retellings and I don't really think it paid off. There were some interesting ideas here, but I never really felt compelled to continue the story and I had a hard time caring about the characters all that much. The little connection Ariadne had with Perceus at the end felt a little out if left field since this was literally the first time they'd met.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Suicide, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
rubyellen95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Incest, Sexism, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse and Pedophilia
eve_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ Saint didn’t push past the boundaries of the original myth of Theseus and the Minotaur until about halfway through. As someone familiar with the story, I was unmotivated to read until that point.
⁕ I never felt overly attached to or intrigued by Ariadne. She very much felt like a victim of circumstance as opposed to a heroine in charge of her own destiny. Her relationship with her sister was the only aspect of the novel that added complexity and depth to her storyline.
⁕ If you enjoy Madeline Miller’s Circe, this book is very similar in terms of prose and themes.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ Saint didn’t push past the boundaries of the original myth of Theseus and the Minotaur until about halfway through. As someone familiar with the story, I was unmotivated to read until that point.
⁕ I never felt overly attached to or intrigued by Ariadne. She very much felt like a victim of circumstance as opposed to a heroine in charge of her own destiny. Her relationship with her sister was the only aspect of the novel that added complexity and depth to her storyline.
⁕ If you enjoy Madeline Miller’s Circe, this book is very similar in terms of prose and themes.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence
book_of_the_north's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A beautiful tragedy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape and War
steffi_23's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment
catapocalypse's review against another edition
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This poignant Greek mythology retelling focuses primarily on the titular Ariadne, but also spends some time from her sister Phaedra's point of view as both their stories play out. Both women struggle at the mercy of the gods, their father, and the other men who enter their lives. While the original myths give little thought to the impact their events have on women, Saint's book shows us Pasiphae's trauma after Poseidon drives her to conceive and birth the Minotaur, Ariadne's despair on Naxos, and the turmoil that drives Phaedra to fixate on Hippolytus. Saint interrogates the ways gods and heroes alike wronged women, and whether being drawn to life as a maenad wasn't madness, but an escape.
I enjoyed the unflinching portrayal of the gods. They're powerful, volatile, vain, vindictive. They don't often take the time to consider the consequences their actions have on mortals, maybe even don't care to. Their behavior is both human and alien. They are maelstroms that may draw mortals in, frequently resulting in destruction. And yet, mortal kings and heroes are really not so different in their own impacts on mortal women. Ariadne and Phaedra find some agency in their own ways, but sometimes that's not enough for full freedom, and the oppressive patriarchy of ancient Greece is understandably one of those times.
I don't know that this brings a lot of new ideas to the table, ultimately. I do appreciate having the small moments for these women spelled out. The first chunk of the book feels more plot driven, the middle more character driven, and the end balances out between them. This makes the pacing a little uneven, though which part drags may depend on which style a reader prefers. Its relative brevity still makes it easy to get through, though may have cost a little depth in further character building and emotion. Still, this is a great debut!
I enjoyed the unflinching portrayal of the gods. They're powerful, volatile, vain, vindictive. They don't often take the time to consider the consequences their actions have on mortals, maybe even don't care to. Their behavior is both human and alien. They are maelstroms that may draw mortals in, frequently resulting in destruction. And yet, mortal kings and heroes are really not so different in their own impacts on mortal women. Ariadne and Phaedra find some agency in their own ways, but sometimes that's not enough for full freedom, and the oppressive patriarchy of ancient Greece is understandably one of those times.
I don't know that this brings a lot of new ideas to the table, ultimately. I do appreciate having the small moments for these women spelled out. The first chunk of the book feels more plot driven, the middle more character driven, and the end balances out between them. This makes the pacing a little uneven, though which part drags may depend on which style a reader prefers. Its relative brevity still makes it easy to get through, though may have cost a little depth in further character building and emotion. Still, this is a great debut!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty
marbleheavy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Murder
buttoneyereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape and Suicide
jamieleepilk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
'Today I would seize my destiny for myself. I was a fitting wife for a legendary hero and I would prove it. My story would not be one of death and suffering and sacrifice. I would take my own place in the songs that would be sung about Theseus: the princess who saved him and ended the monstrosity that blighted Crete.'
Once you start Ariadne it's pretty hard to stop, the engaging and raw language pulls you in from page one. It's written so beautifully and brilliantly that even if you are aware of the myths, stories and characters it still feels fresh and like something new.
It begins in Crete with the two sisters Ariadne and Phaedra, Princesses of Crete. As the story continues the story is split between the two so you get chapters in turn from each of the sisters as there lives continue separately on different paths.
Something this book does insanely well is allowing it's female characters to be angry, allowing that rage to burn inside them instead of it dying away. The women of the story are given back their voices and power as if to say "we will no longer be overlooked" and there are some utterly incredible passages of Ariadne and Phaedra's anger and rage, in one instant Ariadne mentions her rage would be enough to burn cities. I liked the mentions of Medusa and Pasiphae's (the sister's mother) stories and how Ariadne connected with them and then her anger towards the injustice, this making her wary of the Gods and their wrath/judgement. Women in Greek mythology are often used and abused, discarded once they have filled their purpose (which is usually helping the Hero in a massive way and get zero thanks for it) so it was incredible to see it from the sisters point of view and getting to see them grow and get stronger, having their own thoughts/lives outside of the lives of the heroes and men of the stories.
The "Heroes" like Theseus are shown for what they really are, fame hungry and cold, taken down from his glowing pedestal.
I very much loved this and can't wait to see what Jennifer has coming up next!
Once you start Ariadne it's pretty hard to stop, the engaging and raw language pulls you in from page one. It's written so beautifully and brilliantly that even if you are aware of the myths, stories and characters it still feels fresh and like something new.
It begins in Crete with the two sisters Ariadne and Phaedra, Princesses of Crete. As the story continues the story is split between the two so you get chapters in turn from each of the sisters as there lives continue separately on different paths.
Something this book does insanely well is allowing it's female characters to be angry, allowing that rage to burn inside them instead of it dying away. The women of the story are given back their voices and power as if to say "we will no longer be overlooked" and there are some utterly incredible passages of Ariadne and Phaedra's anger and rage, in one instant Ariadne mentions her rage would be enough to burn cities. I liked the mentions of Medusa and Pasiphae's (the sister's mother) stories and how Ariadne connected with them and then her anger towards the injustice, this making her wary of the Gods and their wrath/judgement. Women in Greek mythology are often used and abused, discarded once they have filled their purpose (which is usually helping the Hero in a massive way and get zero thanks for it) so it was incredible to see it from the sisters point of view and getting to see them grow and get stronger, having their own thoughts/lives outside of the lives of the heroes and men of the stories.
The "Heroes" like Theseus are shown for what they really are, fame hungry and cold, taken down from his glowing pedestal.
I very much loved this and can't wait to see what Jennifer has coming up next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy